Identification of the hiding place of HIV

Antiretroviral therapy is effective in inhibiting HIV infection. However, there is no cure for HIV infection because HIV does not disappear but 'hides' in the body, in so-called HIV reservoirs. The aim of this project is to develop new therapeutic methods for HIV cure by detecting and eliminating HIV reservoirs. To this end, we have set up a close collaboration between researchers, clinicians and companies.  

Developing methods to cure HIV is of great importance for people living with HIV, their partners, family and community. Finding a cure would improve the quality of life for people with HIV and would mean that they no longer need medication, no longer have to fear spreading the virus and no longer suffer from the stigma of HIV. Curing HIV will also have an economic impact because it reduces pressure on healthcare and promotes labor participation. 

We have identified the phenotype of the HIV reservoir and have shown via different methods that the cellular metabolism is crucial for HIV reservoir formation and activation. This allowed us to identify novel latency reversal agents that target the metabolism that cause reactivation of HIV and eliminate the infected cell. Furthermore, we have engineered novel biologicals based on conventional antibody technology as well as nanobody technology. These biologicals recognize host factors and thereby interfere with HIV-replication or these biologicals activate the innate immune system and guide the innate cells to infected cells, leading to elimination of infected T cells. Both the novel agents and the biologicals are being further developed (including NWO/Aids Fund consortium Spiral) with the aim of ultimately setting up a small-scale clinical trial to validate the new treatments for HIV cure. COVID-19 has caused a delay, but we have successfully completed the research with some groundbreaking results, bringing us one step closer to an HIV-1 cure.